In this post, I’m celebrating the democratic power of Amanda Gorman’s poem, “The Hill We Climb.” Plus, adding one small suggestion near the end.
It is incredible and electrifying to see the first National Youth Poet Laureate in the United States, Amanda Gorman, perform at the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20th, 2020. This day marks a historic moment, and Amanda’s poem captures its essence in the beauty and wisdom that shines in her words.
She touched all the areas where healing and transformation are needed in the United States — trust in democracy, hope, justice, the future and values of our nation, unity, harmony, growing through our despair, acting for the next generation, repairing the past, and moving forward to a brighter day. Such a powerful message in such a powerful moment is a light we all can use in our lives. I want to reflect on some particular themes from her poem that personally resonate with me, and why I feel they’re important to keep in sight as we build an American future together.
America Is An Unfinished Nation
When Gorman called our country “simply unfinished,” I got goosebumps. The wisdom of this insight from a 22-year-old is refreshing and energizing. After the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the U.S. Constitution in 1787, this nation began its march toward realizing the words in those documents, amending the Constitution as needed. Words that have yet to be fully manifested in the daily lives of all Americans. For some Americans, maybe. But definitely not for all Americans.
The details of the work needed to realize the vision and the nation that is the United States are wide-reaching and complex. The nuances are breathtaking and expansive, and I want to note and be respectful about the centuries from 1492 to 1776 not captured above, when the indigenous people of this land suffered horrible atrocities, and from 1619 to 1863 when slavery plagued the moral core of this country.
This tiny article of mine can’t even scratch the surface of this necessary and crucial work. Millions of people across America are working together to create a safe, diverse, accepting, just, and wise nation. To me, to imagine America as a finished nation means to imagine a land where everyone is truly free to pursue the callings of their hearts, without fear and without judgement. Where we as Americans look each other in the eye and see the common existence we share, one where we can live in perfect harmony with ourselves and our world.
Nothing Stands Between Us But Fear
Although it might be hard for many of us to believe what I’m saying here, I really do believe that nothing stands between us as Americans but the fear that’s deep in our hearts. People on the right fear the world is out to erode their values and their ways of living; and truly, a lot of those values need questioning to remove implicit racism and structural blindness. But it’s the fear that prevents them from seeing those truths clearly. And people on the left fear that the richest nation in the history of world is not doing what it should to look after its people. This is objectively true and has nothing to do with socialism or some -ism that guides how we live. There are many more examples of fear on both sides, too many to list. It is this fear that prevents us from working together toward a shared vision.
I know this since I have friends and family on both sides and in the middle of the spectrum — some friends are progressives, some are centrists, and some are right-wing, with a cousin or two who believe in QAnon. So when I hear Gorman telling us in “The Hill We Climb” that we should focus on what’s in front of us and not what’s between us, I hear her telling us to overcome our fears for each other, do the inner work necessary to bring about a personal transformation, and then focus on teamwork and coming together to serve the United States. Easier said than done. But I believe it can be done.
The Past Needs To Be Acknowledged For Healing
The birth of this nation stems from a desire for freedom, a desire to live a life in the pursuit of happiness, and a desire to create the greatest nation on Earth, where the people are represented by a government of the people. But it’s no secret that the beginning and continuation of this nation are also mired with bloodshed, genocide, slavery, and inhumane treatment of a myriad of people — from Africans powering the economy as slaves, to Mexicans driven out from their indigenous lands, to Chinese building the railroads connecting the country, to Native Americans placed in boarding schools to wipe out their languages and cultures (forced to do so until 1978!), to Japanese placed in internment camps during WWII (even as they served to fight for America) and many other noteworthy cases. These wounds haven’t healed, and time has only highlighted the need to give attention to them.
We as a nation must acknowledge these pasts to make room for true healing to take place. Gorman notes this masterfully when she reminds us that America is more than the pride which powers this nation. It is also how we look at our past, and how we repair it.
American Democratic Values Are The Future Of Humanity
The democracy of our nation is so much more than a political tool to choose our leaders — it shines as a mindset and a core value that we, together, as the people of this land get to decide how we want to shape our futures. America’s democratic values go deep, right to the bone, and give us hope in what will surely become a nation remembered fondly on the pages of history when it reaches its true potential. We have work to do before getting there, and I have faith we will get there.
One of the big shifts happening across humanity is how individuals are getting to speak their voices and are being heard. The Internet has greatly accelerated this shift. This too is a form of democracy, and it reflects American democratic values in how it values free speech and the freedom to be oneself. Although this is not true yet for everyone on the planet, I suspect one day, especially when people taste this joy of freedom, they will call for it and make it happen.
Gorman notes how this belief and the empowerment of democracy can be temporarily stymied, but can never be permanently defeated. I celebrate this observation with her. I have great hopes for the evolution of American democracy to where it one day becomes impossible to question.
Future Generations Will Look Up To Us
We’re standing on the precipice of a wide range of planetary crises — from climate change and ocean acidification, to biodiversity collapse and devastating habitat loss. Just from 1960 to today, the World Wild Life Federation has estimated a loss of 60% of all land creatures. Insects, much unloved by us (they’re amazing if you get to know them) but so incredibly important to all terrestrial life as a food source and as pollinators, are in heavy decline. Sea levels are rising, deserts are spreading, droughts are expanding — the list is long. How future generations of human beings get to experience planet Earth rests on decisions we make now, as individuals, families, counties, states, and countries. I hope President Joe Biden rejoining the Paris Agreement is just one sign that we’re heading in the right direction. To make real gains, a lot of work and attention is needed.
While the issues above appear daunting and even insurmountable, there’re millions of reasons for hope. People all over the world are getting organized and doing what they can to protect nature for tomorrow’s children. These are easily the biggest scale challenges facing our current generations — Gen X, Millennials (Gen Y), Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. Gorman shows an acute awareness of this challenge when she writes about our blunders becoming the burdens for generations yet to come. We can always use a reminder of this fact.
You can help turn the tide against these big issues with small behavior changes. By questioning products you buy, companies you support with your money, switching to a renewable electricity plan if you have access to one, changing how you eat, letting your lawn grow wild, and many other small acts. Lots of resources available online (I may write an article in the future too).
Notes On Critics
Millions of people across America are celebrating “The Hill We Climb” and feeling emotional about its powerful message. However, not everyone is pleased. In particular, I’ve noticed that critics and poets who engage in academics or are editors of magazines are dissatisfied. The reasons I’ve heard many of them state are — “This is not a real poem,” and “This is not a good poem.”
I feel both those criticisms, and potentially criticisms of the poem in general, may be missing the point. But for me to clarify that point, I need to define what a poem is.
A poem has no narrow definition, and no single human has the ability to define or grasp the reach of poetry. A poem can be any piece of written or spoken material, and the context in which it exists and the effects it has on that context are the marks by which it can be judged.
A lot of critics of poetry seem to feel they have the authority to judge what a good poem is, and many misunderstand that how a poem is received varies an immeasurable amount. So to them, “The Hill We Climb” may not be a real poem, or a good poem — but to millions of people, it is. This is not a good or bad thing. It’s just how poetry works its magic. It’s mysterious and beautiful.
One Small Suggestion For The Poem
Before I end this celebration of Amanda Gorman’s poem, I’d like to make one small suggestion which I feel would enhance a tiny portion of the poem.
My suggestion is for this line — “To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters, and conditions of man.” I understand why she would use the word “man” to represent humanity; it sounds good and fits the crowd at inauguration. However, I see it as a bit problematic since it feels exclusive to me. My suggestion would be to change that word to “humankind,” which would keep the essence of what is meant and still sound good as the poem is read.
Thank you for joining me in this celebration and personal reflection. I’m an optimistic person, and I see greatness ahead for us as a country and us as Americans. I know we’ll overcome whatever challenges we may face, and thrive in the face of adversity, working toward the dream of a unified and harmonious nation. But I also know that a lot of folks out there are suffering and struggling and dying in this pandemic. So I’d like to add a moment of silence here.
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Wishing you the best of health, safety, happiness, and fortune. It’s a new year and a new administration. May 2021 be a year of reflection, growth, and progress.
About me:
I’m a poet, author of City of Rivers. I studied creative writing at Stanford University. My works have appeared in journals such as Poetry Magazine, The Believer, Tin House, among others.
